A mum who went into labour three months early while on a family holiday in Cyprus has been left trapped abroad with her premature baby.
Bethany Cleathero and her husband Jan believed they had another trimester to go before they welcomed their third child into the world.
But the couple from Cullompton, Devon, were on thei r last day of the family holiday with their two daughters, when Bethany suddenly went into labour on Wednesday, June 29.
Jan told Devon Live he was "petrified" they were both going to die, as he watched medics rush his wife to hospital and deliver their premature baby, Molly.
But now the devastated family say their insurance does not cover them to bring their new daughter home or keep her in hospital, where Cypriot doctors say she will need to remain for the "next three or four months".
Jan said: "It was our last day and Bethany went into early labour. We rushed into the first hospital which was private and wasn't very good so we then went to a different hospital.
"There were complications at the time as the umbilical cord was over her head, so they tried to keep the baby in for a bit longer. My wife has already had two C-sections before and they were essentially trying to get her to give birth naturally, I was then petrified that they would both die."
After a stressful birth, Jan said mum and baby were separated and kept in different hospitals an hour apart and that he was only allowed by Bethany's bedside for 45 minutes before he was 'kicked out' due to Covid restrictions.
Jan said: "My wife has managed to rent a car and has been able to see her, she has to stay in hospital until July 11 at the earliest due to complications. She needs to rest as much as she can."
Jan who had also been on holiday with his sister's family had to fly home to the UK with his other children and leave his wife abroad.
He said: "Luckily my sister was there with her kids which was a god send, as they were able to look after my two daughters.
"But, due to Covid restrictions I wasn't allowed to stay with Bethany for long and so I had to leave, go back to the hotel and pack up the rest of our bags and try and get our children ready for the flight back home."
The family have sought help from the British Embassy and contacted charities to see if they can help bring Molly and Bethany home, but they are still being quoted a total of £40,000 to meet their travel and medical costs.
He said: "There is added costs that we aren't aware of. There's Molly's care which we need to fund, the cost of where she is now is around £1,000 per night.
"The quotes we have had from charities and private companies are around £40,000, which will ensure there is sufficient vehicles adequate enough to support her level of care. As a family we will do what we can, I'll sell my van, whatever it takes to get her home and be here with the NHS."
The family have launched a GoFundMe page to try and raise as much as possible to help their mission to bring Molly home.
Jan said: "You hear it on the news, the solidarity and people coming together, and you sort of play it off. But, until you're in that situation yourself, where you need other people and they are there, it's just so overwhelming."
